Steamboat Springs  Jennifer Schubert-Akin, co-founder of The Steamboat Institute, said 2011 Freedom Conference keynote speaker Jonah Goldberg wouldn’t just give an informative presentation. She said he would be entertaining.

Goldberg, editor at large and weekly columnist for conservative website National Review Online, will deliver the keynote address during the Aug. 19 dinner for the third-annual event, which continues Aug. 20 in Steamboat Springs.

Schubert-Akin called Goldberg “one of the most talented conservative minds out there.”

In addition to Goldberg, she said many of the others scheduled to speak at the event would entertain.

“I just love people who are able to use humor to make their point,” Schubert-Akin said. “I think people stay more engaged when people use humor. I think it’s more fun and persuasive than when you have a dry speaker. We try to get speakers who are really knowledgeable about the subject matter but who people will enjoy hearing.”

Schubert-Akin said that the details of Goldberg’s presentation haven’t been worked out but that it could include elements from his 2008 book, “Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning.”

She said Goldberg’s presentation would be topical, as are the other speaker sessions during the conference. For example, Schubert-Akin said panel discussions Aug. 20 would address health care and energy.

The Freedom Conference begins at 10 a.m. Aug. 19 with registration at The Steamboat Grand. It continues with speaker sessions from noon to 5 p.m., followed by a 6:30 p.m. VIP reception at Thunderhead Lodge and the dinner with Goldberg at 7:30 p.m.

Other confirmed speakers Aug. 19 are: South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson; Colorado Attorney General John Suthers; Young America’s Foundation Vice President Kate Obenshain; Amy Oliver, host of The Amy Oliver Show on 1310 KFKA-AM; Kevin Jackson, author of “The Black Lie” and founder of BlackSphere.net; and Jason Mattera, editor of HumanEvents.com and author of “Obama Zombies: How the Liberal Machine Brainwashed my Generation.”

Events Aug. 20 start with breakfast at 8 a.m. at The Steamboat Grand followed by speaker sessions until 12:15 p.m. The closing luncheon, with keynote speaker Steve Moore, senior economics writer for The Wall Street Journal, will take place from 12:30 to 2 p.m.

Other confirmed speakers Aug. 20 are: Indiana Congressman Todd Rokita; Robert M. Goldberg Ph.D., vice president and director of programs for the Center of Medicine in the Public Interest; Galen Institute founder and president Grace-Marie Turner; Docs4PatientsCare.org founder Hal Scherz, M.D.; Bob Beauprez, former congressman and editor in chief of blog A Line of Sight; Mercator Energy founder and CEO John Harpole; and retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Steve Russell.

A barbecue at 5:30 p.m. to benefit Rocky Mountain USO will cap the weekend’s events.

Tickets are $250, or $175 for young professionals or students younger than 30. Special rates are available for speaker sessions only, $95 or $25 for young professionals or students, or dinner only, $100. There also are sponsorship rates.

Schubert-Akin encouraged everyone, regardless of party affiliation, to attend the Freedom Conference.

“We want people to come to our conference to learn about issues and be inspired to do something about it, she said.

Comments

"talented conservative mind" about Jonah Goldberg? Try deeply partisan, try propaganda writer. Think you are going to learn about issues attending this conference? With authors of such scholarly tomes as "Obama Zombies..." and "Liberal Fascism..." , you will certainly be dining at a one dish all you can eat buffet filled with Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh wannbes. Enjoy the group think.